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I possess some thoughts about the remarks delivered by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open last eight. Consider – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is American – and sports frequently encourage nationalism. A little bit of letdown would have been appropriate. Instead, he invoked the ongoing drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, myself included. But come on. Suppose the American defeated the legend for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. He is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match what other person in their right mind had the lack of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is ranked number four in the world starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that at present, that’s as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful power on each forehand and backhand are more than enough to defeat most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the interesting emergence of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising speed and grace of smaller players. Fritz is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and playing a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several significant, improbable improvements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. Two years after, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and held the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing drought of US male players winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

The American star made a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

The American's performance in that exact quarter-final should have been enough of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the brink of frustration. When Fritz finally did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a terrible game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to expend excessive energy to win it. Facing match points in the last game, his first serve sailed to heaven. He prolonged the contest two times on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, just a result of having to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite compelling evidence that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any version of Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the following match and never particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding almost anyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, prepared to not just express how he feels or the tactic he felt decided a contest, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually extremely improbable for everybody else. {